Previously, many types of grips have been used in endeavoring to provide an effective means to hold items to prevent slipping when handling.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that possess the novelty of the instant invention, however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
Pat. No.InventorIssue Date4,759,125OlaesJul. 26, 19885,533,442TatenoJul. 9, 19965,613,431TatinoMar, 25, 19976,516,519 B2MeyerFeb. 11, 20036,796,032 B2HorugSep. 28, 2004
Olaes in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,125 teaches a scissor-like utensil having handles attached to blades for cutting and serving slices of a cake and similar goods. The handles have slots and are overlaid to obtain the optimum angle of the blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,442 issued to Tateno discloses a tool that is used to separate an avocado's meat from its skin, while simultaneously cutting the avocado's meat into separate slices. The tool has a handle with cutting rings consisting of an inner ring and an outer ring formed that are from a continuous band. The inner ring includes a set of elements having an aperture therethrough for the handle. Cutting blades are positioned on an inner wall of the inner ring and others are on the outer wall.
Tateno in U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,431 teaches a tool for separating the meat of an avocado from its skin, while simultaneously cutting the avocado's meat into separate slices. The tool has a frame mounted on one end of a handle and cutting elements are positioned on the frame, an elongated adjustment element extends through the handle and into the frame.
Meyer in U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,519 discloses a combination cutter and server having a set of flexible blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,032 issued to Horug discloses a fruit slicer which includes an X-hinged structure having two pivoting handles that separate the X-hinged structure into an upper portion and a lower portion. An elastic element is mounted between the handles for biasing the handles away from each other. An arcuate plate is deformed when the handles are pressed toward each other, thereby reducing the gap therebetween. When the handles are released, the shape of the arcuate plate is restored.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention is related reference may be made to the remaining cited design patent issued to Lo in. U.S. patent D501,371.